Highest priority students, not curriculum

To The Editor:

I feel the need to take issue with the Common Core article written by Dr. Mike Aytes that refers to Dr. Robert Marzano in the Nov. 26 edition of the Richmond News.
Essentially, the way I read the article starting on page four is says that curriculum is more important than the students being taught. Read it and you will agree that is what it really says.
Sure what we teach matters, but we must remember, the student must come first or you are just blowing smoke.
I learned as a teacher for 30 years that when you place value of curriculum above the needs of a student you will fail every time.
When you see or hear some so-called educator such as Dr. Marzano place more value on school curriculum then actual student needs there is a chance this person needs to be in the classroom more and on his “stump” less. (He wouldn’t last two weeks in the classroom.)
I found that the real lessons I received in school were:
1. A love for learning but more importantly,
2. Regular attendance;
3. Being punctual to class;
4. And respect for my superiors.
Those are the most important career lessons because no matter what a person’s career may be, those lessons are the most important because they make you a good employee or boss or whatever.
A student will learn the world is not flat; place the letter I before E, except after C, (with exceptions), etc. if the curriculum is interesting and they are valued as a student more than the teacher values the curriculum.
So, is Curriculum more important than a Student. Absolutely not!